Patronising: The new Minister of Civil Society advised charities to stay out of politics

David Cameron’s new Charities Minister sparked fury yesterday by telling voluntary groups to “stick to their knitting”.

Patronising Tory Brooks Newmark admitted the Government is trying to do what groups have long believed is their aim – to silence anti-poverty campaigns because they draw attention to cruel Coalition cuts.

In his first major speech as Minister of Civil Society, the Oxbridge-educated millionaire admitted: “We want to try to keep charities and voluntary groups out of the realms of politics.

“The important thing charities should be doing is sticking to their knitting and doing the best they can to promote their agenda.”

The comments sparked outrage.

Frances Crook, boss of prison reform charity the Howard League, said: “Mr Newmark appears to be like the Countess in Downton Abbey, thinking we should all appear with a basket of homemade buns and knitted socks rather than fighting our cause.”

Oxfam director Ben Phillips said: “We work to improve the lives of millions. When we find something that policy-makers need to address, it is our duty to tell them and tell the public.”

Mr Newmark’s blunder is another set-back to the Prime Minister’s abandoned “Big Society” pledge to get more people involved in volunteering. Labour accused the new minister of offending Britain’s army of charity workers.